Game-board



Al@ f S l Patented Aug. 25, 1891.

ATTORNEY.

(No Model.)

W. G; BULLEN.

GAMB BOARD.

ma norms versus en., mamma., wwmamm, n.1.

UNITED STATES PATENT GEEICE.

VILLIAM G. BULLEN, OF MILVAUKEE, VISCONSIN.

GAME-BOARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 458,516, dated August25, Y1891. Application filed May 13, 1891. Serial No. 392,564. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM G. BULLEN, of Milwaukee, 4in the county ofMilwaukee and State of lVisconsin, have invented a new and ImprovedGame, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in games; and the object of myinvention is to produce a gaine the result of which when played dependsupon the skill of the player, and in which an imitation naval battle maybe fought and naval tactics studied.

In View of this feature of the game it is caller: naval tactics anditconsists in certain features of construction and arrangements of parts,which will be hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specication, in which similar figures of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a plan view of the game-board and blowing-tubes. Fig. 2 is aside elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is avertical longitudinal section onthe'line 3 3 in Fig. l, showing the position of the imitation ships uponthe gameboard. Fige is a detail View of one of the blowing-tubes, andFigs. 5 to 8, inclusive, show detail perspective views of the ordinaryships and the admirals or Iiag ships.

In playing the game a rectangular gameboard l0 is used, which rests uponfeet ll, and is provided around its upper edge with a ange I2, whichserves to prevent the dis- -placement of the rings or ships, ashereinafter described. On opposite sides of the gameboard are brackets13, which serve as supports for the blowing-tubes 14 when the game isnot being played, and these tubes have bent tapering ends l5, so thatthey may be easily brought into position to have the wind which is blownthrough them strike correctly on one of the ships or rings. Theblowingtubes taper gradually from one` end to the other, so that thewind will be delivered with considerable force from the smaller or bentend.

At each end of the game-board is a fort, represented by raisedpartitions 16, which eX- tend transversely across a portion of the boardand then merge in converging partitions 17, which are arranged on eachside of the entrance to the forts, and the partitions or Walls 16 and l?are provided with embrasures 18, which cause them to more nearlyresemble an ordinary fort. These forts, as described, are at each end ofthe board, and the.

intervening the sea.

Opposite the entrances to the forts and Well out into the center of theboardv or sea are raised studs 19, which represent batteries,l and inthe center of the board is a larger double battery 20, which isrectangular in shape, and with twov angles toward the fort space issupposed to represent entrances, and this battery is provided withembrasuresv2l. upon the surface of the board l0.

At intervals on each side of the batteries 19 and 2O are holes 22, whichextend through the table, and in these holes are fixed gauze pockets 23.the board,'and when one of the ships or rings is made to drop through ahole and into a pocket it is actually and metaphorically sunk.

The ships used in the game are formed of rings 24 and 25, the rings 24representing the ordinary ships and the rings 25 representing Hag-ships.

In order that the gaine may be played successfully and the variousships, forts, &c., distinguished from each other, the forts at differentends of the board are dierently colored, they being preferably coloredred and blue, and the equipment of each fort and the apparatus used inconnection with it are of a corresponding color-for instance, if thefort at one end is colored red, the battery 19 nearest to it is alsocolored red, and the adjacent end of the battery 2O is colored red.Three ships or rings are preferably used for each fort, and these arecolored to correspond With the color of the fort. The rings 24,representing the ordinary ships, are colored all over to correspond withthe fort to which they belong, and the rings 25, representing theflag-ships, are similarly colored on their faces,but their ends are madeof a distinguishing color, preferably white.

In playing' the game the side which first counts fifty points Wins, andin making up this fifty if a flag-ship is sunk it counts four for theparty sinking it; if an ordinary ship is sunk it counts two, and iscalled a cap- The battery 20 is also raised' These holes are marked sunkon tain, in reference to the commander of a ship, and if a ship isrepulsed at the center battery it counts one.

The game is played as follows: The rings 24 and 25 are arranged upon theboard within the forts to which they belong. Each player takes a tube14, with which to blow the ring, and the players then toss up to seewhich shall start the game. The object is for a player to propel hisships by blowing against them, so that they will pass the holes andbatteries and enter the fort of his opponent, thus capturing the fort.In doing this it is also necessary to sink the ships of his opponent. Ifa player sinks the ships ot" his opponent and gets his own ships intoone of his opponents forts, it counts ten for him. The lirst playerplaces the tube 14 to his mouth and directs the lower end of it againstthe lower end of one of his ships and blows, so as to blow the ringoutward across the board, and after he has blown the next player has histurn, and so on until the game is finished. The Hag-ships are given anadvantage over the others, as they can only be sunk and count for theparty sinking them when they are forced through one of the holes 22which is nearest the fort of the opposing player, and if a nag-ship issunk accidentally in one of the other holes it counts four against theparty sinking it.

In sinking the ships of his opponent a player propels his own shipsagainst his opponents, so as to force the ships of the latter into oneof the holes 22, and if a player accidentally sinks one of his own shipsit counts two against him. across the board it is evident that it willbe necessary to do so with great care, as otherwise they will drop intoone of the numerous holes or will come in contact with one of thebatteries.

In propelling the ships4 The rules of the game may be greatly modied orchanged, and I have only given enough of them to show substantially howthe game is played.

Having thus described my invention, I claimias new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. A game apparatus comprising a anged board havingtransverse partitions extending partially across it near each end andhaving a series of holes extending through it near opposite sides andprojections raised centrally in the surface of the board, substantiallyas described.

2. A game apparatus comprising a flanged board having transversepartitions near each end, which partitions merge in convergingpartitions, a series of holesarranged on opposite sides of the board,pockets secured in the holes, and projections raised centrally on thesurface of the board, substantially as described.

3. A game apparatus comprising a anged board having broken transversepartitions near each end and having a series of holes arranged atintervals near opposite sides, a series of rings adapted to move uponthe board, and blowing-tubes to propel the rings, substantially asdescribed.

4. A game apparatus comprising a flanged board having broken transversepartitions near each end, a series of obstructions produced upon theboard between the partitions, a series of rings to move on the board,and blowing-tubes for propelling the rings, substantially as described.

` WILLIAM G. BULLEN.

Vitnesses:

J. V. V. PLATro, TOM CRAVEN, WILLIAM KELLS.

